ANGOLA REMAINS "QUIETLY" ENGAGED ON ZIMBABWE

UNCLAS LUANDA 000566 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR AF/S (GARLAND AND PELLETREAU) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SADC ZI BC AO SUBJECT: ANGOLA REMAINS "QUIETLY" ENGAGED ON ZIMBABWE REF: STATE 79617 ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Mozena conveyed reftel demarche on July 25 to Carlos Fonseca, Diplomatic Advisor to President Dos Santos, underscoring that the will of the Zimbabwe people, as expressed during the March 29 election, must be respected as efforts continue to resolve the Zimbabwe crisis and that President Mugabe could not be part of any transitional government. Fonseca took the demarche on board, said he would convey it to others, and thanked the ambassador for conveying the US perspective of this "difficult" issue. ¶2. (SBU) Later the same day, Mozena delivered the same demarche to Paulo Jorge, the MPLA Secretary for International Relations, highlighting the need for continued Angolan engagement on Zimbabwe to encourage President Mugabe to make a dignified departure now from office. Mozena added that Mugabe could not be part of any transitional government. Jorge, who has figured prominently in GRA deliberations on Zimbabwe policy, agreed that it is hard to imagine a transitional government that included Mugabe, but added that it was unlikely that Mugabe would step down. Jorge said Angola is "gently advising Mugabe on various courses of action," and he mentioned a possible "Kenya" resolution. Mozena noted that a Kenya approach could not work in Zimbabwe, underscoring that Mugabe is the problem and not part of the solution. Jorge said Angola will remain engaged during the coming two-week negotiation period to support a solution to the Zimbabwe situation. He added that a meeting of select SADC countries would be held soon (NFI on dates or participants) to support the negotiations. Jorge said Angola continues to base its Zimbabwe policy on the need to stop the violence there and for the government and opposition MDC to reach a negotiated settlement. MOZENA